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Housing commission warns early end to federal EHV funds; Housing Authority approves local priority to help families
Summary
San Diego Housing Commission told the Housing Authority that Emergency Housing Voucher funding will end sooner than expected; the board approved temporary local preferences to prioritize current EHV families on Section 8 and project‑based voucher waiting lists to help some households transition.
The San Diego Housing Commission told the Housing Authority on Oct. 21 that federal Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) funding will run out earlier than officials had anticipated, and the board approved changes to local policies intended to reduce disruption for EHV households.
Lisa Jones, SDHC president and CEO, said staff have been monitoring federal budget developments and that the agency had secured funds to make October and November rental assistance payments. Jones said HUD notified housing authorities in March of an estimated final EHV allocation later than previously expected; SDHC now estimates it can assist roughly 465 families on EHV through 2026 but does not have funding to continue the program beyond that horizon without additional federal dollars.
To reduce the risk to households who are among the program’s most vulnerable, SDHC proposed and the Housing Authority approved revisions to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan and the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy. The revision creates a local preference for current EHV families on the Section 8 and project‑based voucher waiting lists; SDHC staff said the priority will be available only to families currently in the EHV program and will apply for up to 12 months after HUD funding for EHV ends. SDHC staff cautioned that HUD’s guidance allows prioritization but does not provide extra funding to convert EHVs to ongoing tenant‑based vouchers.
Jones and SDHC staff also described other mitigation steps: pursuing HUD waivers (some already requested), moving EHV participants into project‑based vouchers where feasible, maximizing use of Homekey and other local units, and seeking philanthropic or state funds to close remaining gaps. SDHC said the average annual income for EHV households is about $15,895 and more than 70% of EHV households are elderly or have disabilities.
Board members pressed SDHC on contingency planning. SDHC estimated an approximate funding shortfall of about $10 million annually to fully preserve current EHV levels for roughly a year and described a mix of strategies — project‑based vouchers, Homekey units coming online, benefit coordination and philanthropic packages — as likely components of any long‑term mitigation strategy.
Agency Member Pro Tem Lee moved the administrative plan and ACOP revisions; Agency Member Moreno seconded. The Housing Authority approved the changes unanimously (recorded 9–0). SDHC said it will continue to pursue HUD waivers and report back to the board as federal developments evolve.
